Obesity Problems in Qatar - Essay Example

Obesity in Qatar Lifestyle diseases have become a menace in almost every country with enough provisions for food and other essentials. In the US, for example, obesity is on an increase due to several factors. These factors are the same that affect Qatar and the same factors that we will be looking at in depth. In the past few decades. There are several improvements in the health status of individuals on the planet as there are better ways of combating diseases. Illnesses such as HIV/Aids and malaria remained the most threatening diseases when it came to the survival of humankind. In the recent few years, however, another health complication has gained increased attention from medical practitioners and the general public alike. The increased presence of junk food in stores and an ever increasing automation of tasks have merged to create one of the worst health conditions of any individual, obesity. Obesity affects nearly any nation on the planet. Even the healthiest countries such as Australia have cases of obese individuals in the population. Like the US, Qatar is significantly affected by obesity. Unfortunately for Qatar, it is the country suffering the most from obesity issues. This paper will be looking into obesity in Qatar in relation to the factors that have led to the rising cases of the health condition. It is no doubt Qatar is the richest nation on the planet. Unfortunately, the country is also among the fattest as 17 percent people suffer from obesity (Al-Shammari and Ali Monahi 1). Half of all the adult population actually, suffer from obesity. For a long time, people have had the misconception that America is the fattest nation on the planet. Compared to Qatar, American is quite slim as only a third of its population are obese and only 8 percent of the total population suffering from obesity. Out of the total population of 1.7 million, about 250,000 are native Qataris. In the space of two generations, these natives have switched from a traditional subsistence way of life to an affluent one that is supplied with countless of servants. Qatar, like other GCC countries, is heavily endowed with the most important natural resource, oil. The fact that Qatar has so many resources has led to the country becoming very wealthy over the past few decades and presenting natives with a life they would never have dreamt of. Obesity is a medical disorder where the body has excessive body fat that has accumulated to an extent that it posed significant health risks to the individual. Obesity can lead to a reduced live expectancy and increased health problems (McInnis 91). In the West, people are considered obese if their BMI (Body Mass Index) that is a measurement that is obtained by dividing the individual’s weight with by the square of their height exceeds 30. The range 25-30 is considered overweight. In some East Asian countries, this criteria is even stricter which means that if used to measure obesity in Qatar, then many people in the population will be considered obese (Bener 2). In general, obesity increased an individuals likelihood of contracting various diseases. Such diseases are particularly heart diseases, obstructive sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. The causes of obesity are common. They include a combination of excessive food intake and a lack of physical activity. Others may include genetic susceptibility. Other causes are primarily those that involve the genes, medications, endocrine disorders, and psychiatric illness and so on. There are arguments that there are obese people who eat less yet have a slow metabolism that results in obesity. Nonetheless, this case is refutable as there are few studies to support the claim. In general, while compared to thin people, the obese have a high energy expenditure mainly because there is more energy needed to support their heavy masses. The primary treatments of obesity are within everybody’s reach. They include dieting and exercising. In dieting, the individual needs to ensure that they have low intake of energy-dense foods. Such foods, often known as junk foods, have many sugars and fats. Obesity patients should ensure they have high dietary fiber intake. With a healthy diet, an individual can also engage in anti-obesity drugs that decrease the absorption of fats and appetite all at the same time. If the above methods do not work, the patients can have a gastric balloon that assists in their weight loss. They can also have surgery performed so as to reduce the volume of the stomach or bowel length which will lead to feeling full earlier and thus lessen the rate of nutrients absorption. One common thing about obesity is that it is preventable. Unfortunately, it is increasingly affecting adults and children. Today, it is viewed as the most serious health problem of the 21st century. In history, obesity was seen as a sign of economic wellness. In the past few days, however, the medical condition is stigmatized, and those suffering from it usually, suffer from self-worth. In Qatar, obesity is increasing more than in other country but there are few efforts being made to counter the threat the condition places on the health of the nation. As the holy month of Ramadan begins, Qatar engages in a compulsory ban on eating and drinking during the daytime. People are also not supposed to drink water during the fast. When the sun sets, the day’s thirst and hunger are often salted with often notoriously lavish meals that include fatty foods and energy-rich drinks. In essence, such feeding is overstated and does not only compensate for the missed meals during the day but more importantly represent excessive feeding that account to more food that would have been eaten even without the fasting. In fact, in Qatar, the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) that prepares people for the fast and the aforementioned breaking-off fast have reached spendthrift proportions. The average food intake doubles during the month of Ramadan. During the very first day of fasting, at least 128 people are hospitalized due to stomach upsets (Yucecan, Nilgun Karaagaoglu and Sevinc 23). Just a generation ago, Qataris were used to the physically demanding desert life. Today, the capital Doha is characterized by bulging fast food outlets where people are used to going for bites. Worse still, the delivery services and lack of pedestrian walkways in the capital have only made things worse for the people in that they will not have the need to exercise and food (junk food) is delivered to their doorsteps without lifting a finger. When people have an increased access to energy-rich foods and have less needs to engage in physical activities as they have servants to attend to almost all duties, it poses a threat to the physical health of the individuals. Today, there are several strategies that are supposed to campaign for healthier lifestyles. There are several approaches that Qatar as a country is adopting to ensure that obesity is countered. Among them include creating awareness and more importantly training new mothers on how to observe proper nutrition standards for their children. This is among the most efficient approach to combating obesity as it seeks to address the root cause of obesity looking at the child’s desire to feed and the mother desire to feed their children. If mothers understand how best they should be feeding their children and what foods are healthy and the importance of exercising the children, rates of obesity will significantly reduce. Obesity is a health problem all over the world. Qatar is the third country with the highest number of obesity victims. As seen above, over the country’s half of the population suffers from obesity. Children and young adults are also victims of the health condition that spells a very difficult time for the country in the future in terms of the health status of the country. Obesity is caused by excessive intake of energy-rich foods and a lack of physical exercise. Qatar is the richest country on the planet which means that its citizens can employ as many servants as they need which will deny them a chance to exercise. The fact that they have enough food for their families and a relative low literacy level can be a contributing factor to poor diet. The government should implement policies and engage citizens in observing proper diet. Works Cited Al-Shammari, Ali Monahi. "The relationship between food habits, attitudes toward food, and obesity among female college students of Public Authority for Applied Education and Training in Kuwait." (2004). Bener, Abdulbari, et al. "Obesity index that better predict metabolic syndrome: body mass index, waist circumference, waist hip ratio, or waist height ratio." Journal of obesity 2013 (2013). McInnis, Kyle J. "Diet, exercise, and the challenge of combating obesity in primary care." Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 18.2 (2003): 93-100. Yucecan, Nilgun Karaagaoglu, Sevinc. "Some behavioural changes observed among fasting subjects, their nutritional habits and energy expenditure in Ramadan." International journal of food sciences and nutrition 51.2 (2000): 125-134.   Read More